I spent Thursday and Friday at the extraordinary Brimfield Antique show in Central Massachusetts. The show, which is held in May, June, and September, turns the tiny town of Brimfield, MA into a city of about 5000 antique dealers and countless buyers. Interesting items, great conversations, and fantastic carnival-type food all make for a fun day!

This year, I spotted an amazing piece of folk art: a hand-carved carousel from the mid-1800s. The dealer told me that it was once part of a traveling medicine show and circus and was situated between the popcorn machine and the real carousel. The toy carousel and figures were powered by steam, which caused the carousel to go around in circles and some of the figures to move, including a figure of a man who drops a milk bottle in front of a very stern-looking woman! The material used for the toy’s tent was from an original Big Top.

The elderly man who the dealer bought this piece from said the circus show was owned by members of his family and went out of business in the 1930’s. He has a picture of himself as a boy standing in front of the working carousel!

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